Mobile baling apparatus



March 29, 1966 H. c` BRAWLEY ET AL 3,242,851

MOBILE BALING APPARATUS .5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 13, 1964 March 29, 1966 c. BRAWLEY ETAL 3,242,851

MOBILE BALING APPARATUS Filed April 15, 1964 s sheets-sheet 2 flaw@ March 29, 1966 Filed April l5, 1964 1L gwmybw pe 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent O 3,242,351 MOBILE BALNG APPARATUS Henry C. rawley, 122 Monmouth Road, Elisabeth, N3., and Michael Busichio, 61 Ertle Ave., Spotswood, NJ. Filed Apr. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 359,146 11 Claims. (Cl. i60-34) This invention relates to baling apparatus and, more particularly, to a mobile baler comprising an industrial lift truck in combination with portable baling apparatus removably attached thereto.

It is well known that the accumulation and/ or burning of trash, waste or scrap material in an industrial plant, warehouse or other such facility, may constitute a serious air pollution, health or safety hazard. Baling of waste materials substantially reduces such air pollution, health and safety hazards in most cases and facilitates removal or storage of the waste material. It has been the practice in the past to collect waste material periodically and transport it to a designated areafor baling in a stationary baling apparatus suitable for the particular material. This practice is generally ineffective and time consuming and may create suiiicient additional tratfic in the plant to hamper more productive operations. Moreover, available stationary balers are generally cumbersome and expensive and take up an inordinate amount of space.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an inexpensive, compact and mobile baler which can be easily moved from place to place in order to perform a baling operation at the point where waste -or scrap is being generated at any particular time.

it is another object of the present invention to provide portable baling apparatus which may be stored in a small space when not in use and which can 'be quickly and easily attached to a conventional lift truck to provide a mobile baler when desired, and detached when the baling operation is completed to release the litt truck for other operations.

The above and other objects of the invention which will oe apparent from the detailed description below, are attained by providing portable baling apparatus including a ram and a baling platform or baling chamber, adapted to be removably :attached to an industrial lift truck to provide a mobile baler.

The invention will now be described in greater detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, employing like reference characters to designate like parts, in which:

FIG. l is a side elevational View of a mobile baler of the invention comprising an industrial lift truck having a baling chamber and a ram removably mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is another side elevational view of the mobile baler of FiG. l, showing the baling chamber in raised compressing position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front view, on an enlarged scale, showing the means of mounting the ram on the mast of the industrial lift truck of FlG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the baling cham- Iber of the mobile baler of FIG. l; and

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5, in a direction normal to the drawing, of FIG. 4 showing material to be baled below the ram in the baling chamber.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, a mobile baler of the present invention includes a conventional motorized industrial lift truck 1d or the type in common use to pick up, move from place to place and discharge loads of every conceivable description in industrial plants and warehouses and which is further .adapted to raise and lower loads with respect to the floor or ground upon which the truck is standing. The industrial truck 1t) is provided with one or more upright masts 12 ICC upon which a fork 14 is mounted for movement up and down the mast 'by conventional hydraulic or other means, not shown, in Order to raise and lower a load supported by the fork 14. The mobile baler includes in combination with the lift truck 1t?, portable baling apparatus including a ram 16 and a baling chamber 18 which are adapted to be detachably mounted on the truck 1t?.

The baling chamber 18 which is carried by the fork 14, is preferably, although not necessarily, iirmly, but detachably, mounted on the fork 14 `by means of bolts 20 or other suitable fastenings.

The ram 16, which has a closed lower surface for contacting material to be compressed, is detachably mounted on the masts 12 of the lift truck by means of a pair of supporting arms 22 which are disposed in spaced apart generally parallel relationship. A pair of attaching blocks 24 are welded to the inner side of each supporting arm 22; the blocks 2d on each arm being spaced apart. The four attaching blocks 24 are each provided with a slotted hole 26 extending through the block. Slotted holes 26 extend in a direction at a 90 angle from the supporting arm 22. Studs 28 are welded to channel iron reinforcements on inside, top and bottom of hollow ram 16. The threaded end of stud 28 extends through top of ram 16 and through the slotted hole 26 in attaching block 24. The ram 16 is then fastened to the attaching block 2d by placing washer Sti and nut 31 on stud and tightening securely. The slotted holes 26 permit lateral adjustment of the distance between the supporting arms 22 to facilitate mounting of the ram on the masts 12 of the truck and, also permit use of the ram on trucks having masts which are spaced apart varying distances. The portion of each supporting arm 22 extending beyond the ram 16 is turned upward at an .angle of about 90 .and is tapered at the upturned end. The taper of the upturned ends of the arms 22 adapts the arms to t into socket members 32 having internal dimensions with corresponding tapers. A socket member 32 is welded or bolted on the outboard side of each mast 12. Each supporting arm 22 is retained in the corresponding socket member 32 by means of a threaded bolt 34 having an enlarged head, which may be supported by a washer 36 if desired. The bolt 34 extends through a bore hole 38 in the socket member 32 and is screwed into a correspondingly threaded bore hole 46 in the upturned end of the supporting arm 22. The set screw 42 is screwed into a slot in the supporting arm 22 'and used as a safety feature.

The baling chamber 1S is a box-like structure having a bottom, front, back and two sides, but which is completely open at the top. The open top of the baling chamber 18 is dimensioned to receive the ram 16. Legs 4d are preferably provided to raise the baling chamber 1S far enough above the floor to facilitate entry of the fork 14 of the lift truck in the resulting space. The front side of the baling chamber forms a door 46 mounted at one side by hinges 4S and held shut at the opposite side by door latches Sti. On each of the two sides of the lbaling chamber, a roll of baling tape 52 is rotatably m-ounted on a spindle 54 ixed to the side of the baling chamber, toward the rear. A pair of tape guides 56 are mounted in spaced relationship on the tcp edge of the back of the baling chamber. Other guide means 57 may also be einployed if desired between the roll of tape 52 and the guides 56. A length of the tape 52 is unwound from each of the rolls on opposite sides of the baling chamber and led over the corresponding guide means 56, down into and across the bottom of the baling chamber and up out through the corresponding one of a pair of tape ports 58 in the door L16. The tape ports 58 are located in the door 46 at the level of the top of the compressed material in the chamber 13 when in use so that ends of the tape 52 may be drawn through the port and tied Withincluding the steps of attaching the portable baling apparatus to the fork lift truck. The motorized industrial fork lift truck 10, with the fork 14 lowered to its lowest normal position just above and parallel to the door, is driven to- Y ward the baling chamber 18 which is normally resting on its legs 44 in the area Where it is customarily stored when not in use. In this manner the fork 14 is fully inserted into the space between the bottom of the baling chamber 18 and the floor. The ram 16 is nested in the baling chamber 18 at this stage, having been stored in that manner to save space, and the supporting arms 22 are loosely attached to the top ofthe ram by the bolts 28. The socket members 32 have been previously Welded or bolted to the masts 12 of the lift truck. The baling chamber locating pins 20 Iare inserted into the forks 14 of the lift truck and are then raised to the height required to lift the baling chamber 13, ram 16 and supporting arms 22, to the point where the upturned ends of the arms 22 may be guided into the socket members 32 on the mast 12 of the truck. This operation is facilitated by the lateral adjustability of the supporting arms 22 on the ram 16, provided by the loosely bolted engagement of the arms with the ram and the movement of the bolts 28 permitted by the lateral elongation of the bore holes 26 in the blocks 24. Having positioned the upturned ends of the arms 22 in the socket members 32, bolts 34 with washers 36 are inserted through the socket members 32 and screwed into threaded bore holes in the upturned ends of the supporting arms 22. Set screws 42 are then screwed into the socket members 32 and lodged `against the bolts 34. The fork 14 is then lowered and the bolts 28 are screwed down tightly against the washers 30 to securely attach the supporting arms 22 to the ram 16 through the attaching blocks 24.

A length of baling tape 52 is then unwound from the roll mounted on each of the two opposite sides of the baling chamber and led around the back of the chamber, up over the corresponding guide 56, down into and across the bottom of the chamber and up and out through the corresponding port 58 in `the door 46 at the front of the chamber. The end of each length of tape 52 is then temporarily retained by one of the clips 60. A piece of scrap corrugated or other such paper materials 62 or similar material of a size and shape approximately co-extensive with the bottom of the baling chamber is placed in the baling chamber to control the bale after it is removed from the baler.

The mobile baler is now ready for operation. Trash, scrap or other material to be baled 64 is then loaded into the baling chamber 18 o-n top of the sheet of cardboard 62 until the chamber is more than half filled. The lifting means of the truck is then actuated to raise the fork'14 and the parti-ally filled baling chamber 1S upward until the latter surrounds the ram and the material to be baled 64 is compressed between the ram 16 and the bottom of the baling chamber 18. This sequence of steps is repeated until the level of the compacted material in the baling chamber rises to a point intermediate the height of the ports 58 in the door 46. The fork 14 is then lowered and a second piece of scrap corrugated or other such paper material 62 is placed on top of the compacted material to control the bale, The operator then grasps each of the baling tapes 52 where it comes off the `guide 56 at the back of the baling chamber and pulls a loop of the tape forward across the top of the compacted material and out through the corresponding port 53 in the door of the baling chamber. This loop may also be temporarily secured in the corresponding clip 60 if desired. The fork 14 is then lifted again to recompress the compacted material. While the material is thus compressed the end of the tape 52 underlying the bale is tied to the loop of the tape 52 overlying the bale at each of the two ports 60 and the loop of tape is cut to sep-arate the unused tape from the tied ends, This operation is facilitated if the ram 16 is provided with transverse slots on the bottom thereof positioned to prevent the r-am from contacting and restricting movement of the lengths of tape 52 overlying the bale. The fork is then lowered again, the door 46 opened, and the bale removed from the baling chamber manually or by means of a baling hook.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that although the invention has been described as it is embodied in the specific mobile baler illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the invention is susceptible of many variations. For example, the baling chamber 18 may be replaced by a simple platform if desired, although it is obviously preferable to use a chamber with sides on it when handling waste material of small or widely varied dimensions. Further, although a straddle type lift truck is shown in the drawings, a counterbalanced lift truck may be substituted. Supporting arms of various lengths may be provided to adapt the portable baling apparatus for use with lift trucks having longer or shorter forks, and the ram support means may be made adjustable tol t trucks having widely divergent mast widths. Supporting brackets or tie rods may also be provided to reinforce the ram supporting larms if desirable or necessary.

In view of the above it should be apparent that the present invention provides a convenient and economical means for baling waste such as paper, cartons, containers, and light metals and the like. It should also be noted, however, that the new apparatus may be equally useful for compacting materials other than waste material for various purposes. Among the many advantages of the new mobile baling apparatus may be mentioned the provision of 4a baler which can be operated in any aisle o-r restricted space in which a fork lift truck can operate, the baling operation may be carried out while simultaneously transporting the material being baled, the mobile baler is completely self powered both for movement from place to place and for baling and requires no external power source, the new balers can be eciently operated by only one person, and are safer to operate than many available stationary balers, and require a minimum of storage space.

The specific embodiments of the invention described above are given by way of illustration and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention dened in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A mobile baler comprising an industrial lift truck, a ram and a platform, said lift truck being provided with an upright mast and lifting means adapted to move a load up and down said mast, said platform being engaged by said lifting means for movement up and down said mast, said ram having a closed lower surface for contacting material -to be compressed and being mounted on said mast above said platform, whereby material to be baled positioned on said platform can be compressed between said platform and said ram by actuation of said lifting means to move said platform upward toward said ram.

2. A .mobile baler comprising an industrial lift truck, a ram and a baling chamber, said lift truck being provided with an upright mast and lifting means adapted to move a load up and down said mast, said baling chamber having an opening in the top thereof and being engaged by said lifting means for movement up and down said mast, said ram being mounted on said mast above said baling chamber and being of a size and shape adapted to enter and substantially close said opening in the top of said baling chamber, whereby material `to be baled placed in said baling chamber can be compressed within said baling chamber by said ram by actuation of said lifting means to move said baling chamber upward toward said ram.

3. A mobile baler comprising an industrial lift truck, a ram and a baling chamber, said lift truck being provided with an upright mast and lifting means adapted to move a load up and down said mast, said baling chamber having an opening in. the top thereof and being engaged by said lifting means for movement up and down said mast, said baling chamber being further provided with a door in a side thereof, said ram being mounted on said mast above said baling chamber and being of a size and shape adapted to enter and substantially close said opening in the top of said baling chamber, whereby material to be baled placed in said baling chamber can be compressed within said baling chamber by said ram by actuation of said lifting means to move said baling chamber upward toward said ram, material compressed in this way being removable from said baling chamber through said door.

4. A mobile baler comprising an industrial l-ift truck, a ram and a baling chamber, said lift truck being provided with an upright mast and lifting means adapted to move -a load up and down said mast, said baling chamber having an opening in the top thereof and being engaged by said lifting means for movement up and down said mast, said baling chamber being further provided with a door in a side thereof, a supply of tying material mounted on said mobile baler, said ram being mounted on said mast above said baling chamber and being of a size and shape adapted to enter `and substantially close said opening in the top of said baling chamber, whereby material to be baled placed in said baling chamber can be compressed within said baling chamber by said ram by actuation of said lifting means to move said baling chamber upward toward said ram, material compressed in this way being adapted to be tied into a lbale by said tying material and removed from the baling chamber through said door.

5. A mobile baler comprising an industrial fork lift Itruck, a ram and a baling chamber, the fork of said lift truck being mounted for movement up and down said mast and having at least two horizontally disposed tines projecting outwardly .from said mast, means for moving said fork up and down said mast, said baling chamber being mounted on the tines of said fork and being provided with an opening at the top thereof and a door in a side thereof, said door being provided with at least one port therein, and a supply of tying material mounted on said baling chamber, whereby a length of tying material is adapted to be withdrawn from said supply and led down into the baling chamber at one side thereof, across the bottom of said chamber and up and out through the port in said door on the opposite side thereof, said ram being mounted on said mast above said baling chamber and being of a size and shape adapted to enter and substantially close said opening in the top of said baling chamber, whereby material to be baled placed in said baling chamber can be compressed within said baling chamber by said ram by actuation of said means for moving said fork thereby `causing said baling chamber to move upward toward said ram, material compressed in this way being adapted to be tied into a bale by said tying material and the bale removed from the baling chamber through said door.

6. A mobile baler comprising an industrial fork lift truck, a ram and .a baling chamber, the fork of said lift truck being mounted for lmovement up and down said mast and having at least two horizontally disposed tines projecting outwardly from said mast, means for moving said fork up and down said mast, said baling chamber ibeing mounted on the tines of said fork and being provided with an opening at the top thereof and a door in a side thereof, said baling chamber having legs on the underside thereof to provide a space [between the underside of said baling chamber and a surface upon which said legs rest to permit entry of the tines of said fork under said baling chamber, said door being provided with at leas-t one port therein, and a supply of tying material mounted on said baling chamber, whereby a length of tying -material is adapted to be Withdrawn from said supply and led down into the baling chamber at one side thereof, across the bottom of said chamber and up and out of the port in said door on the opposite side thereof, sa-id ram being mounted on said mast above said baling chamber and being of a size .and shape adapted to enter and substantially close said opening in the top of said baling chamber, where-by material to be baled placed in said baling chamber can be compressed Within said baling chamber 'by said ram by actuation of said means f-or moving said fork thereby causing said baling chamber to move upward toward said ram, material compressed in this way being adapted to be tied into a bale by said tying material and a lbale removed from the baling chamber through said door.

7. Portable baling apparatus adapted to be attached to an industrial lift truck, having an upright mast and means to move a load up and down said mast, to provide a mobile baler, comprising in combination, a ram, means for removably attaching said ram to the mast of a lift truck in .a fixed position and a baling chamber, said baling chamber having an opening in the top thereof of a size and shape adapted to receive said ram, whereby said ram may be nested in said baling chamber for storage when said portable baling apparatus is det-ached from a lift truck, said baling chamber having a door with at least one port therethrough located at the level reached lby the top of the compressed material in said chamber when in use, said -port being adapted to pass Vboth ends of a length of tying material led around compressed material in the chamber thus permitting the ends to be tied without opening said door.

'8. Portable baling apparatus adapted to be attached to an industrial lift truck, having an upright mast and means to move a load up and down said mast, to provide a mobile baler, comprising in combination, a ram, means for removably attaching said ram to the mast of a lift truck in a fixed position, and a baling chamber, said baling chamber having legs adapted to provide Ia space thereunder, a door in yone side, and an opening in the top thereof, said opening being of a size and shape adapted to receive said ram, whereby said ram may be nested in said baling Ichamber for storage when said portable baling apparatus is detached from a lift truck, said baling chamber having a door with at least one port therethrough located at the level reached by the top of the compressed material in said chamber when in use, said port being adapted to pass both ends of a length of tying material led around compressed material in lthe chamber thus permitting the ends to be tied without opening said door.

9. Portable baling apparatus adapted to be attached to an industrial lift truck, having an upright mast and means to move a load up land down said mast, to provide a mobile baler, comprising in combination, a ram, means for removably attaching said ram to the mast of a lift truck in a fixed position, a baling chamber and a supply of tying material mounted on said portable baling apparatus, said baling chamber having legs adapted to provide a space thereunder, a door in one side and at least one port in said door, said port being located at the level reac-hed by the top of the compressed material in said chamber when in use, and being adapted to pass both ends of a length of tying material led around compressed material in the chamber thus permitting the ends to be tied without opening said door, said baling chamber being further provided with an opening in t-he top thereof of a size and shape adapted to receive said ram, whereby said ram may be nested in said baling chamber for storage when said portable baling apparatus is detached from a lift truck.

l0. A portable baling chamber for attachment to an industrial lift truck having an upright mast with a ram iixed `thereto at an elevated position, and means for moving said baling chamber up and down saidl mast, said baling chamber having legs adapted to provide a space thereunder, a door in one side for removal of a bale of compressed material therefrom, -means for mounting a supply of tying material on said baling chamber, at least one port in said door adapted to permit tying therethrough of a bale in said chamber, said port being completely surrounded by said door and spaced below the upper edge Ithereof, said baling chamber being further provided with an opening in the top thereof of a size and shape adapted 10 t0 receive said stationary ram when said baling chamber is moved upwardly to encompass said ram.

11. A portable rbaling chamber for attachment to an industrial lift truck having an upright mast with a ram tixed thereto at an elevated position, and means for moving said baling c-hamber up and down said mast, said baling chamber having legs adapted to provide a space thereunder, a door in one side for removal of a bale of compressed material therefrom, means for mounting a supply of tying material on said baling cham-ber, at least one port in said door adapted to permit tying therethrough of a bale in said chamber, said port being completely surrounded by said door and spaced below the upper edge thereof, guide means mounted on said baling chamber adapted to guide a length of tying material between a supply thereof on said mounting means and said port, and at least one clip on said baling chamber adapted to retain the end of a length of tying material extending through said port, said baling chamber being further provided with an opening in the top thereof of a size and shape adapted to receive said stationary ram when said 'baling chamber is moved upwardly to encompass said ram.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 342,805 6/ 1886 Meyer 10U-225 500,238 6/ 1893 Liddell 100-251 982,650 1/1911 Walters 100-34 X 1,142,188 6/1915 Macomber. 1,296,830 3/1919 Marsh 100-255 X 2,037,21v1 4/ 1936 Campbell 100-3 2,677,323 5/ 1954 OKonski 100-3 2,682,347 6/1954 Jackson 214-654 X 2,768,761 10/ 1956 Vandermark et al. 214-654 2,782,710 2/ 1957 Fishburne 100-100 2,892,397 `6/ 1959 Finkelstein 100-100 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,205 1909 Great Britain. 4,882 1914 Great Britain. 21,004 `1909 Great Britain. 335,983 y10/1930 Great Britain.

IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner.

WALTER SCHEEL, Examiner.

BILLY I. WILHITE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MOBILE BALER COMPRISING AN INDUSTRIAL LIFT TRUCK, A RAM AND A PLATFORM, SAID LIFT TRUCK BEING PROVIDED WITH AN UPRIGHT MAST AND LIFTING MEANS ADAPTED TO MOVE A LOAD UP AND DOWN SAID MAST, SAID PLATFORM BEING ENGAGED BY SAID LIFTING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT UP AND DOWN SAID MAST, SAID RAM HAVING A CLOSED LOWER SURFACE FOR CONTACTING MATERIAL TO BE COMPRESSES AND BEING MOUNTED ON SAID 